Johnson Makes FC Halifax Loan

Ahead of the weekend meeting with Rochdale it was announced that Sam Johnson had been allowed to leave Port Vale for a loan spell with FC Halifax.

The Official Website confirmed the academy graduate ‘keeper would spend time with Halifax until the New Year.

Johnson started the season as the no.2 at Vale Park but injuries opened the door to him yet he soon found himself on the bench again and is now third choice for Vale, with Rob Page talking about the ‘crop of very talented goalkeepers’ the Valiants have.

With that in mind, explaining the move, the Vale boss said he feels the 22-year-old getting this time with Halifax will best benefit all concerned.

‘This is a great opportunity for Sam to go and play first team football week-in, week-out.

‘We’re blessed at this football club with a crop of very talented goalkeepers and it’s important each of them can be given the chance to show what they can do by playing games.

‘We feel this is the best possible way for Sam to continue his development.’

He’ll stay with the National League side until 2nd January.

On the topic of Page and Rochdale he’s also reacted to the defeat suffered at Spotland as Dale came from a goal-down to win two-one on Saturday to deny Vale the chance to go through November unbeaten.

Which was something Page had spoken about, obviously, wanting before the game!

He added, also on the Official Website, this was a game he felt the Valiants could, if not should, have won.

‘I thought we created chances to win the game. At 1-1, we scored a great first goal, Birchy did exactly what I have asked him to and Sam Foley coming in, times his run to perfection, Chris gets a great finish.

‘We got two opportunities to take the lead twice, a free header from eight yards out and we hit the bar and then Uche does ever so well, goes around the lad, he’s got a square pass to Doddsy for a tap in, he’s decided to shoot, it’s gone out for a corner so if we had better decision making in vital areas, we go on to win the game.’

Carl Dickinson’s sending off didn’t help matters, nor will it help going forward but Vale will ‘get on with it.’

Page added.

‘I think we have just got to get on with it. We will make that decision (whether to challenge the decision) in the week but I think looking back at it we have just got to get on with it.

‘He has been in good form this season so of course he will be missed. Anyone that goes out of the side at the minute will be missed. It is what it is, we cannot change it, we have got to get on with it and do the best we can now to bounce back from this.’